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GEORG-E H. HAWKINS, OF NEW'YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 80,733, dated August 4, 1868.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY OONCERN: r,

Be it known thatI, ,Geenen-H'. HAWKINS, of the city, county, and State-of New York, haveI invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dies for Forming Hats; and do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing.

VThis invention relates to a new and improved device for forming hats, and gives a means whereby hats may be formed or brought to the desired shape without being subjected to the pressure of dies, which are novi' used for such purpose, and which very frequently cause the fabric of which the hat'is composed to be compressed, and the face-surface of the fabric to show theeil'ect of such compression, a result injurious to Athe material, such as vclvets,. 8vo., and to wrinkleer crease the hat. These defects are fully overcome by my improvemonts.

It also consists'in making the die for-forming the crown4 of the hat adjustable up anddown, if desired, so as to obtain the crown of the required depth.

In the accompanying drawingi Figure 1 is a vertical central'secton of my invention, taken in the lincz tig. 2.

Figure 2, an external view of the same.

Similar letters may 'be seen on the drawing, to which reference is had.

A represents a block or shell, which I prefer to make of cast iron, and has itsruppcr external point of a shape corresponding to the top or crown of thelxat, as shown in iig. 1.

B representen rim or base, which I also prefer to make of the same metal, and within which the block A vis fitted, concentric with the base, B, the base and block being retained in a proper relative position with cach other by means of set-screws C.

D is a rim,fwl'1ieh I also prefer to beef cast iron, andis of curved form in Aits transverse section, as shown clearly in iig. 1. i The upper part, a, of D', I prefer to make nearly parallel with theupper part of the side of block A, but is not designed to be in contact with it, and the lower part, b, of 'D, I prefer to have inclined slightly downward from its inner part to its cuter edge; the outer edge, b', of 6, resting on` the top'of the baserim B,'(see tig. 1.)

This riinD is encompassed by a gas-tube, E, perforated so as to admit of the rim being heated by gas-jets. The block A may be heated in a similar or any other convenient manner. i'

The block A and base B are adjusted, for convenience in use, to a suitable bench or support, and the rim VD is secured to a rising and falling frame or block, placed between guides, and 'arranged so that it may be operated by a treadlcA vThe material of which the hat isl made, (shown in red, iig. 1,)' is moistencd, so as to be perfectly yielding :er pliable, and the rim B beingr heated, the frahric is 'placed on the top ofthe block A, and the rim D is brought ld'own by means of a treadle, until the outer edge of the rim rests'upon the top of the base, The rim D,

in descending, gives the desired former shape to the fabric, not by pressure, but simply by mouldingor bending it. l

The hat, whcnvin this form, is retained in place over the block until dry, which isvsoclh accomplished by,

thehcatoi' the block A and r-im D..

-'By having the base, B, and block or shell A connected by set-screws C, or-othcr convenient means, instead of `being 4cast in one piece, the block or shell A maybe adjusted higher oilowcr, according to lthe height of crown required for the hat, as shown in thedrawing,

- Zaz'm. The combination of a block or former, to form the crown and body from the inside, and a rim or former,

to form the brim from the upper side, with a baserim, to aid in holding thc material while it is being xlouldedv or formed, substantially as described.

GEO. H. HAWKINS.

Witnesses: l

E. LYoN,'Jr., J. C. DUeKwonTH. 

